William J. Mann
William J. Mann
William J. Mann is an American novelist, biographer, and Hollywood historian best known for his studies of Hollywood and the American film industry, especially his 2006 biography of Katharine Hepburn, Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn. Kate was named one of the 100 Notable Books of 2006 by The New York Times...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
CountryUnited States of America
cloudy covers fictions figures form limited lives public
The limited fictions used to sell the lives of public figures often form a cloudy chiaroscuro that covers their true humanity.
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'Dark Shadows' was the spark that lit the fire of my childhood imagination. It wasn't polished; it wasn't perfect. But it gave us characters with real personalities and complicated motivations.
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Elizabeth Taylor was the first star for whom an offscreen narrative was equally as important as an onscreen one. Her private life became as much of a driving force of her fame and success as any role she played in the movies.
discussed figures subject
Writing about identity can be like maneuvering through a minefield, even when considering contemporary figures who have discussed the subject themselves.